Requirements

The minor in bioethics requires at least seven courses completed with a grade of “C” or better. The science requirement is satisfied by four courses in biology or three courses in natural science. The ethics requirement is satisfied by completing three courses in philosophy, theology or sociology. Finally, one interdisciplinary course is required (BIET 395: Special Topics). See below for detailed information about which specific courses satisfy these requirements. Students also must officially declare the minor by going on LOCUS to add the bioethics minor.

Please note that one of the three "ethics" courses must be taken at the 300-level. This means that in addition to BIET 395 one of the three "ethics" courses must be a 300-level course. 

SCIENCE REQUIREMENT

Students will choose one of the following areas to fulfill the science requirement.

Biology (BIOL) (all four)
BIOL 101, 102, 111 and 112

Life Sciences (any three)
Anthropology (ANTH): 101, 103, 104
Natural Science (NTSC): 103, 104, 109, 273, 281, 282

ETHICS REQUIREMENT

All sections of the following courses count for the minor:

Philosophy (PHIL)

PHIL 164: Health-Care Ethics-Civ. Eng.
PHIL 184: Health-Care Ethics
PHIL 187: Environmental Ethics
PHIL 369: Philosophy of Medicine
PHIL 471: Principles of Health-Care Ethics
PHIL 472: Clinical Health-Care Ethics
PHIL 473: Social Health-Care Ethics

Theology (THEO)

THEO 342: Perspectives on Life and Death
THEO 343: Contemporary Christian Sexuality
THEO 344: Theology and Ecology (ESP 344: Environmental Studies)
THEO 478: Issues in Medical Ethics

The following courses count for the minor if the specific topic treated relates to bioethics:

PHIL 183: Contemporary Ethical Issues
PHIL 324: Topics in Ethics
PHIL 389: Contemporary Issues
PHIL 398: Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy
THEO 180: Theology and Interdisciplinary Study
THEO 192: Moral Problems
THEO 393: Religion and Ecology (ESP 398)
THEO 480: Seminar in Christian Ethics: Religious Ethics and Ecology or Sexuality
THEO 481: Special Topics in Ethics

Note that 400-level courses may be taken only with special permission and preparation.

Only one of the following sociology courses counts for the minor:

Sociology (SOCL)

SOCL 126: Science, Technology and Society*
SOCL 225: Sociology of Health Care
SOCL 270: Sociology of Science*
SOCL 272: Environmental Sociology (ESP 272)

* These courses count only when they address topics in bioethics.

INTERDISCIPLINARY REQUIREMENT

BIET 395: Special Topics (for example, Biotechnologies and Bioethics; Biology of Women; Environmental Ethics; The Ethics of Ecosystem Restoration; Ecoethics in an Age of Global Change). Prerequisites: Must have completed two of the science requirements and two of the ethics requirements.